The head of a powerful Kurdish militia hit back on Tuesday at Turkish threats to attack its forces in northern Syria, pledging to “cleanse” the area of Ankara’s “scourges”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday vowed to soon launch an operation against towns in Syria held by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers “terrorists”.

A conservative commentator got called out for perpetuating a stereotype that has long hurt Asian immigrants during a CNN discussion Thursday night about President Donald Trump’s reported labeling of Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries.”

Firefighters grappling with a wildfire that has burned out of control for 10 days on California’s scenic coastline, destroying more than 700 homes, sought on Wednesday to defend homes from flames whipped by resurgent Santa Ana winds. The so-called Thomas Fire, already the state’s fifth-largest wildland blaze on record, remained a threat to the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito despite gains made by crews during a lull in the winds a day earlier. “Very high fuel loading, critically low fuel moistures, above average temperatures and single-digit relative humidities will continue to support fire growth on the west, east and north sides of the Thomas Incident,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Firefighters grappling with a wildfire that has burned out of control for 10 days on California’s scenic coastline, destroying more than 700 homes, sought on Wednesday to defend homes from flames whipped by resurgent Santa Ana winds. The so-called Thomas Fire, already the state’s fifth-largest wildland blaze on record, remained a threat to the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito as darkness fell and winds picked up, fire officials said. “Very high fuel loading, critically low fuel moistures, above average temperatures and single-digit relative humidities will continue to support fire growth on the west, east and north sides of the Thomas incident,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

Kathleen Hartnett White stammered, sighed and sat silent for seconds on end on Wednesday throughout her Senate hearing to be confirmed as the new head of the White House’s Council of Environmental Quality.